Train station overcrowding

newfoundglory

Like a lot of people, I travel by train into central London on the train. The station I get off at suffers from extreme overcrowding due to an exodus of people trying to leave the station at the same time.

Because of this hundreds and hundreds of people are left queuing and standing on the stairs from the platform to the exits - sometimes with heavy bags and children - something which appears to be a serious health and safety risk.

This is a problem experienced by many stations, but the staff at this station are particularly disorganised, clueless and simply do nothing other than look on in bemusement every morning as if a herd of cattle are moving through the station.

Most of the problem is caused by the train operator and their staff - there are two exits and often only one of them open (lack of staff I suspect). Staff refuse to open the gates to just let people through, and often the gates fail to accept either oyster cards or paper tickets due to technical problems with the gates causing even more chaos.

I do not want to complain to the train operator as I believe they are already aware of the problem, but have chosen to ignore it.

Instead - I would like to make the situation as difficult, lengthly and expensive for them as possible - and wondered if anyone had any suggestions as to what I could do?

jblack_2

newfoundglory wrote: »

Instead - I would like to make the situation as difficult, lengthly and expensive for them as possible - and wondered if anyone had any suggestions as to what I could do?

What a good idea. Do that and they will have even less time and money to invest in trying to sort problems like this.

Why not make a constructive complaint and ask why this is happening (Instead of speculating) and what they are doing to reduce the problem?

TrickyWicky

Not much really that you can do. You could always set up a twitter feed to comment on the daily activities but if its a station that is shared by multiple train companies then it may not be your train company thats responsible.

The only other thing you could do is suggest to them that they move the barriers to the bottome of the stairs to avoid people being put at risk. Train companies are only good at three things (just): Making money, running trains and checking tickets. Anything else such as people flow through stations and how to handle it and you'll find they're clueless.

newfoundglory

jblack wrote: »

What a good idea. Do that and they will have even less time and money to invest in trying to sort problems like this.

Why not make a constructive complaint and ask why this is happening (Instead of speculating) and what they are doing to reduce the problem?

Surely you don't actually believe this? Because if you do, you have no idea what you talking about.

It is operated by a single train company.

I did consider filming the chaos, a taking pictures. But decided against that.

But I reckon I would have better luck if I could make some sort of regulator start an investigation (perhaps on health and safety grounds)

robt_2

newfoundglory wrote: »

Instead - I would like to make the situation as difficult, lengthly and expensive for them as possible - and wondered if anyone had any suggestions as to what I could do?

What are you? 13?

What is the station - or if you don't want to say, the company who operates it?

olly300

newfoundglory wrote: »

I do not want to complain to the train operator as I believe they are already aware of the problem, but have chosen to ignore it.

Instead - I would like to make the situation as difficult, lengthly and expensive for them as possible - and wondered if anyone had any suggestions as to what I could do?

Unfortunately you cannot make it expensive for them but you can give them lots of publicity very easily.

Get on twitter as suggested and get in touch by it with your local paper, who should also have a twitter feed. They will then send a reporter down themselves to look.

Other people will also tweet information and as lots of train companies and there staff also have twitter feeds they will be pressured into answering.

Depending on where in the country you are there are other organisations you can get involved plus your MP.

Unfortunately due to railway bylaws if you take pictures of the station, regardless of whether it was crowded or not, you could find yourself threatened with prosecution and persecuted by the train operator.

olly300

newfoundglory wrote: »

I did consider filming the chaos, a taking pictures. But decided against that.

But I reckon I would have better luck if I could make some sort of regulator start an investigation (perhaps on health and safety grounds)

They aren't interested until there is a major accident.

There are plenty of overcrowded trains i.e. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/11/train-services-overcrowding-london and nothing is done.

newfoundglory

robt wrote: »

What are you? 13?

What is the station - or if you don't want to say, the company who operates it?

Do you not understand how train companies operate? You have to create a reason or incentive for them to fix it. They aren't just going to do it on the back of a complaint.

newfoundglory

This is not a moan about the trains being overcrowded - go back and read my first post.

Bylaws do not prevent photography on stations - but there are restrictions on what you can do.

Train company is south west trains.

wealdroam

newfoundglory wrote: »

Do you not understand how train companies operate? You have to create a reason or incentive for them to fix it. They aren't just going to do it on the back of a complaint.

Perhaps you should stop using the trains then.

If everyone followed you, surely the lost revenue would create the incentive needed.

Simples.

Humphrey10

newfoundglory wrote: »

Because of this hundreds and hundreds of people are left queuing and standing on the stairs from the platform to the exits - sometimes with heavy bags and children - something which appears to be a serious health and safety risk.

Why would people with heavy bags and children choose to travel at peak time? Seems a rather silly thing to do.

Which station is it?